By The Riverside

THE BITCH

Issued in public interest:Do not read this one.Its heartless.

What is it that comes to your mind when you hear that word ..’bitch’?I can guess that picture that has already flashed in your mind. So you are prepared with an answer to my question ,right?

Well then, read on…

Last week,I saw something and since then, my personal definition of that word has changed..I had been to my college after two weeks of nothing-to-do at home,my exams were all over and I was leaving college..so I had gone to get the papers ready.The cutting off of the umbilical chord between me and my alma-mater,I thought. I was there to apply for my TC.There were old friends standing around under the bamboo cluster,comparing their application forms and chatting up on those two weeks of separation .I was seated among them in the shade underneath ,feigning to fill my friend’s autograph book and blabbering along.Now,there is this family of dogs (no,not a pack!......atleast not for me!) that roams the campus,a bitch and its tiny puppies..all rusty brown colour with a nose that made them look like the cute ‘hutch’ puppy,as I called them.I had wanted all along to click a photo of theirs,I had the exact picture in mind,a close-up of their face with those big honey eyes staring..And they were lounging near-by just then..(ughh...i don’t wanna write this……)

Suddenly, there was a shriek from my right-side.When I turned I saw a puppy turned on its back beating all four of its legs furiously!A car was braked suddenly, just inches from it;the brake-lights glaring!A few seconds passed in stunned silence..and the bitch started barking dazedly at the car,which sped off as the barking grew louder.I covered my eyes with my hands and crouching low,put my head between my knees to deafen my ears to the angry barks..people from the nearby building came out hearing the commotion..they wore a numbed expression,eyes straining at the barking dog..and murmuring ,’mahapaapam!’,’kashtam!’..

All the other pups had run away scared and whimpering.Only the bitch and the run-over puppy remained.The puppy had stopped beating by now,turned on its side,its head now covered in running blood.When I raised my head again to steal a glance,she was licking the puppy all over its head!Covering,I let out a yelp..my stomach felt knotted..I got up and walked away as fast as I could.

It must have been half an hour since it happened,when we had to come by again as it was the road leading to the college gate,and we were ready to leave. The dead pup had been removed .The crowd had also broken,and there was no one left except that mother-dog(I can’t say bitch anymore),now joined by the other pups which had all come back to her and were now pressing against her... It was sniffing the way that the car had gone,but not being able to find the trail,was lurching dazedly hither-tither followed by the other pups jumping at her face and sides.The dog itself looked oblivious and was tottering round and round……too lost to whimper ,even…

Did I say ‘cutting off of the umbilical chord’,somewhere……?

Note:I feel sick after writing this.Unseen hands move my fingers tonight,and I yield unwillingly to that hand,for I feel that but for me,you will always have that same picture flash in your memory whenever you come across that word,’bitch’..